I have been in India for a month now, and writings about my different experiences can be found by reading my blog.
For much of that time, I’ve been in Goa, and it’s been a great place to be. I’ve also been delving a little bit deeper into the region to determine its prospects for Retire Worldwide readers.
In this article I outline who would be well-served by going to Goa, and who would not. To summarize: visit there, but don’t live there, and don’t buy property there.
Who Should Go to Goa?
Hippies – For individuals who want to experience a counter-culture lifestyle, Goa still offers everything you could ever want.
Long-Term Travelers – For individuals who are looking for the perfect beach around the world, Goa is a great place to chill.
Yoga Practitioners – There are tons of different establishments in Goa where one can deepen one’s practice and share time with like-minded people.
I will provide a summary of the different Goan beaches in my next Retire Worldwide Post, but I offer this brief summary here: if you are a beach bum and regular tourist, go to Palolem beach. If you are into the trance scene and are looking for the hard-core hippie scene, go to the Anjuna and Vagator Beaches. If you are looking for a mellower experience, go to Arambol Beach.
Who Should Not Go to Goa?
Tourists Looking for Convenience – Goa has a distinct history from India, but it’s still in India. Getting to India is a chore in and of itself, and you also need a tourist visa. You can usually stay for up to six months, but once you leave, you cannot come back for two months.
When you’re at the beaches, you will be bombarded with requests by ladies to look in their shops. Beggars of all stripes are here, although in far smaller amounts than in the cities. Eating out is generally safer than the rest of India, but getting a little stomach bug is a possibility. In addition, the service at restaurants is often quite slow. I don’t think it’s a deliberate policy, it’s just that the staff isn’t sufficiently trained. I’ve overheard a few tourists say, “I ordered food more than an hour ago!”
These inconveniences are something a budget traveler like myself is willing to accept. However, if you are accustomed to having things a certain way, then Goa may not be your best bet.
Permanent Retirees – I can’t in good conscience recommend Goa as a place to live. First, for six months out of the year the beaches are either unbearably hot or drenched by relentless monsoons.
The second issue relates to buying property. There are some Westerners who bought properties a while back and seen the value of their homes or apartments zoom. But the honeymoon is over, and any foreigner who wants to divest from India is going to have a lot of problems doing so.
The laws are written so that nobody can buy property unless it is through an Indian. Moreover, I have heard too many stories of people who bought places in which to live out their final years, only to have their residential uses revoked. Foreign residents may not be able to sell their property or land, and numerous legal nightmares have ensued as a result.
These increasingly negative changes in policy comes in part because large property developers are coming in and driving up prices, which causes resentment amongst the locals. The large developers have the connections with local politicians to protect their interests. Meanwhile, the politicians can turn regular foreigners into scapegoats for Goan citizens who resent the influx of outsiders.
Which comes to the heart of the problem: you should not buy property in India because the legal system is arbitrary and the political system, indeed the entire society, is tainted by corruption. It’s hard to quantify the effect of this corruption, but I view it as Problem #1 in India. It’s a deal-breaker, I’m afraid.
If one wants to find a long-term destination where their dollars stretch a long way, where one can live near the beach for a few months and be healthy and happy, then Goa has a lot to offer.
If one is looking for a place where you can own property and live permanently, one is much better off looking at Thailand, Ecuador or Panama. Sri Lanka may be worth looking at as well, and many other destinations are worth considering. But I have to cross Goa off this list.
I wish this was not the case. I was hoping to use Retire Worldwide as a way to market different properties in Goa. Instead, I can only suggest that travelers come to Goa, stay in a place for one two nights, scour the area and then find the long-term living arrangement that would be most to their liking. This way, visitors can enjoy the best in Goa and avoid the worst.
Your friend is correct, I describe life as a tourist, not as a native Goan. It takes a little time to break into traditional Goan culture if you are an outsider.
Not sure if I’m going to Pondicherry. I might run out of time. But we’ll see.
Hi Scott,
I’ve enjoyed your blog posts from Goa and sent them to my friend, a native Goan. He found them interesting, but reminded me that life for Goans is very different from the life you described.
I’m very anxious to hear what you have to say about Pondy (Pondicherry) if you’re still planning to spend time there. An American friend of mine took his elderly parents there in the last years of their lives. I’ve also met (online) a few other Americans who’ve taken their parents there as well.
Enjoy the rest of your stay in India.
Ellen